Richard Dawson
right|250px|thumb|Richard Dawson with his son Gary Richard Dawson (born November 20, 1932) is a United Kingdom-born actor and game show host. Biography He was born in Gosport, England as Colin Emm. At 14, he ran away from home, joining the Merchant Marine, where he took up a short career as a boxer. At 18, he auditioned for a small theatre company called the Barry O'Brien Players, where he discovered that he liked working on the stage. Two years later, he started performing as a stand-up comedian. During this time, he started to use the stage name Richard 'Dickie' Dawson, which he later changed to his legal name. In the 1950s, he worked on the British stage, before appearing along with his new wife and British sex symbol, Diana Dors, on the The Diana Dors Show in 1959. Richard moved to the United States in the early 1960s. He started to appear in films, and on television shows, such as The Longest Day, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Outer Limits, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and King Rat, while also co-hosting a L.A. talk show and performing as a night club comedian. His appearance in King Rat lead to an audition as the lead character in the new Hogan Heroes television show. Richard was unable to sound American enough to play Colonel Hogan, but was instead given the role of Corporal Peter Newkirk. He played Newkirk for the next six years, along with appearing in the films, Munsters Go Home and The Devil's Brigade, as well as trying his hand at script writing. It was reported that he slept only a few hours a day, while consuming vast quanities of coffee and cigarettes. After Hogan's Heroes went off the air, he appeared on such shows as Love American Style, The Odd Couple, McCloud, and McMillan and Wife, as well as becoming a regular cast member of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, The New Dick Van Dyke Show and the game shows Match Game 73 and I've Got a Secret. He was also the host for the short-lived game show, Masquerade Party. Then, in 1976, he debuted as the host of the game show Family Feud, which soon became one of the most popular game shows in television history, and lead to Richard winning an Emmy. He hosted the show from 1976-85, being a very popular host, especially because of his habit of kissing the female contestants on the cheek during the show, although having some off-screen difficulities with the show's executive producer, Mark Goodson. While working on Family Feud, he became a naturalized U.S. citizen, actually showing his passport and photo during one of the episodes. He next appeared in the 1987 sci-fi film, The Running Man, where he plays the evil, egotistical, dark-sided game-show host Damon Killian, which was a self-parody. It was an outstanding performance. He next hosted an unsold pilot of the revival of the classic game show, You Bet Your Life in 1988. In 1994, he returned as the host of Family Feud, replacing Ray Combs. This lasted for a year. He then retired from acting, later refusing to become the host of the most recent incarnation of Family Feud. At one time, there was a rumor going around which claimed that Richard had committed suicide after his return as the host of Family Feud had ended in failure. In reality, Ray Combs, the show's second host, and the person whom Richard had replaced in 1994, was the person who had actually committed suicide (in 1996). Richard is presently living in Beverly Hills, California with his present wife, Gretchen, whom he had met as a Family Feud contestant. He has three children, two by his first wife, the British actress, Diana Dors, whom he divorced in 1966 and three grandchildren. He is more popular today, thanks to the reruns of both Hogan's Heroes and the original Family Feud. Filmography * The Most Outrageous Gameshow Moments (2000) (TV) * Playboy: The Party Continues (2000) (TV) * The Running Man (1987) * Dorothy Stratten: The Untold Story (1985) (V) * TV's Funniest Gameshow Moments (1984) (TV) * How to Pick Up Girls! (1978) (TV) * Hong Kong Phooey (1974) (TV) (voice) * The New Dick Van Dyke Show (1971) (TV) * Keep an Eye on Denise (1973) (TV) * Treasure Island (1973) * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (1968) (TV) Regular Performer (1971-1973) * The Devil's Brigade (1968) * Munster, Go Home (1966) * Out of Sight (1966) (uncredited) * King Rat (1965) * Hogan's Heroes (1965) (TV) * Promises! Promises! (1963) * The Longest Day (1962) (uncredited) * The Diana Dors Show (1959) (TV) Game Shows * Family Feud (1988) (TV).. Host (1994-1995) * All-Star Family Feud Special (1977) (TV) * Family Feud (1976) (TV).. Host (1976-1985) * Tattletales (1974) (TV).. Himself/Substitute Host (1976) * I've Got a Secret (1976) (TV).. Himself/panelist * The Gong Show (1976) (TV) Panelist * Match Game PM (1975) (TV).. Panelist (1975-1978) * Showoffs (1975) (TV) * Masquerade Party (1974) (TV).. Himself/Host * Match Game '73 (1973) (TV).. Panelist (Jun. 1973- Aug. 1978) * I've Got a Secret (1972) (TV).. Himself/panelist * Can You Top This (1970) (TV).. Himself/joke teller Notable TV Guest Appearances * The E! True Hollywood Story playing "Himself" in episode: "Family Feud" 28 July 2002 * Moonlighting playing "Himself" (archive footage) (uncredited) in episode: "Gunfight at the So-So Corral" (episode # 1.2) 5 March 1985 * Mama's Family playing "Himself" in episode: "Family Feud" (episode # 1.13) 9 April 1983 * The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson playing "Guest Host" 7 January 1980 * The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson playing "Guest Host" 7 December 1979 * Angie playing "Himself" in episode: "Family Feud" (episode # 2.9) 19 November 1979 * The Love Boat playing "Bert Buchanan" in episode: "Accidental Cruise/Song Is Ended, The/Time for Everything, A/Anoushka" (episode # 2.8) 4 November 1978 * Fantasy Island playing "Harry Beamus" in episode: "Call Me Lucky/Torch Singer" (episode # 1.16) 20 May 1978 * McMillan and Wife playing "Roger Stambler" in episode: "Aftershock" (episode # 5.3) 9 November 1975 * The Odd Couple playing "Richard Dawson" in episode: "Laugh Clown, Laugh" (episode # 5.21) 28 February 1975 * The Dean Martin Show playing "Himself" in episode: "Celebrity Roast: Dan Rowan and Dick Martin" 22 March 1974 * The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie (voice) in episode: "Oliver and the Artful Dodger: Part 2" 28 October 1972 * The ABC Saturday Superstar Movie (voice) in episode: "Oliver and the Artful Dodger: Part 1" 21 October 1972 * The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson playing "Himself" 1 September 1972 * Love, American Style playing "Melvin Danger" (voice) in episode: "Love and the Private Eye" (episode # 3.18c) 28 January 1972 * Love, American Style playing "Danny" in episode: "Love and the Hiccups" (episode # 3.12c) 10 December 1971 * The Virginia Graham Show playing "Himself" 13 October 1971 * Mantrap playing "Himself" 31 August 1971 * Love, American Style playing "Rick Jagmund" in episode: "Love and the Groupie" (episode # 2.24b) 12 March 1971 * McCloud playing "Ted Callender" in episode: "Manhattan Manhunt: Part 2: The Stage Is All the World" (episode # 1.4) 7 October 1970 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Himself - Guest Performer" (episode # 1.5) 19 February 1968 * How's Your Mother-in-Law? playing "Himself" 12 February 1968 * Mr. Terrific in episode: "The Formula Is Stolen" (episode # 1.5) 6 February 1967 * The Hollywood Palace playing "Himself - Sketch Actor" (episode # 3.13) 25 December 1965 * The Alfred Hitchcock Hour playing "Robert Johnson" in episode: "Anyone for Murder?" (episode # 2.20) 13 March 1964 * The Outer Limits playing "Oliver Fair" (as Dick Dawson) in episode: "The Invisibles" (episode # 1.19) 3 February 1964 * The Dick Van Dyke Show playing "Tracy Ratigan" (as Dick Dawson) in episode: "Racy Tracy Ratigan" (episode # 2.27) 3 April 1963 *''The Jack Benny Program'' in episode: "Jack Meets Max Bygraves" (episode # 13.14) 8 January 1963 * The Steve Allen Plymouth Show playing "Himself" (episode # 4.29) 12 April 1959 External links * Wikipedia Biography * Geocities' Biography * Hogan's Heroes Fanclub * Webstalag 13 * The Hofbrau * Richard Dawson Fan site * Richard Dawson Experience (Yahoo fan group) * Richard Dawson Domain (Yahoo fan group) * Richard Dawson at the Internet Movie Database Dawson, RichardDawson, RichardDawson, RichardDawson, RichardDawson, RichardDawson, Richard